SOPHIE POTTER RIDES THE ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE.
Intrepid adventurer Sophie Potter has just finished the Atlas Mountain Race (AMR), an ultra mountain-bike event that crosses Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and passes via the Anti-Atlas to finish in Essaouira. It’s a serious business: 1,300km and 21,000m of elevation over sand, stones and colonial-era gravel tracks. Sophie explains how it went…
You set off for Morocco three weeks early – was it all just tagines?
Before getting there I’d spent two months on my home trainer, so I really wanted to get used to the bike again, without bags on. The time allowed me to refine my riding position and get an idea of the temperatures in Morocco at low and high altitudes, to choose the right clothing and sleep system. Unfortunately, I was ill those three weeks and ended up coughing so hard I cracked a rib. I had to rest a lot, and couldn’t recce as much of the route as I’d hoped.
And what was in your bags?
I took the lightest possible equipment, without skimping on the essentials to finish the race. Some people take risks because their goal is to finish first, but that wasn’t me. Nevertheless, I didn’t take anything ‘just in case’.
In the frame bag I mainly had electrical equipment: two 10,000mAh battery packs, a charger, cables, a multitool, pump and a tubeless repair kit, as well as my documents, money and some food (I also had some supplementary food pouches). In my top tube bag, essentials for on the move – sun cream, sunglasses, moisturiser, lip balm. In my saddlebag, a first-aid kit, sleep system, warm jacket, leg warmers and gloves. I didn’t take a change of clothes. Every 12 hours I changed and washed my bibs, leaving the other pair to dry on the saddlebag. Because there’s not much water in Morocco, I used taps outside the little shops I passed to both ‘shower’ and wash my clothes!
What couldn’t you do without in a multi-day race like this, in terms of repair kit?
Chain oil – no hesitation! A tubeless kit, an inner tube fixed to the frame and tyre levers; two pumps (including a 30g back-up); multitool, cable ties and duct tape; two pairs of brake pads; pliers, a quick link and a derailleur hanger.
And for sleeping?
I prefer sleeping inside during races as I recover better. However, I knew that for the AMR this wouldn’t always be possible. So I opted for an ultra-light inflatable sleeping mat and a 450g sleeping bag rated to 2 ºC.
Did you have any rituals for the first intense 24 hours?
Night fell quickly, so you naturally got tired straight away, but I forced myself not to sleep in the first 24 hours. Around 3h00 in the morning, after 120km, I took a mini-break at Checkpoint 1. The hours after that were the most difficult until the sun rose around 7h30 – when the adrenaline kicked in. I had an idea of where I wanted to stop, but I stayed flexible – I made decisions on the fly based on how I was progressing.
Did you spend much time riding with other people?
With more than 200 people racing, the first nights seemed busy, but then the gaps built up. In the first 24 hours I was often with a rider called Romain who shared a similar rhythm to me. Over the third and fourth days I regularly saw the same five riders; then, after a long break at Checkpoint 3 on the fifth day, I encountered new faces. Sometimes we chatted, sometimes not, sometimes sharing a place to rest. It was a first for me, and very enriching!
What did you eat and where did you sleep? How did you manage your water in the desert?
Food-wise I had 24 hours’ worth at the start, and then I relied on what I could find on the road. Little shops sold a range of biscuits, often individually wrapped, and I went for ones containing dates, which are rich in carbs. In the big towns there were restaurants and fast food, whereas elsewhere it was mainly Berber omelettes and bread. I slept out under the stars three nights and twice at checkpoints, around 4-5 hours each time. As for water, I planned it according to the distance between resupply points, but always had 2-3 litres with me, and sometimes more if I’d bought fizzy drinks.
